New Tasting Notes

Not a big coffee person, but I wanted to try this one given how (seemingly intentionally) similar it is to DT’s Coffee Pu’erh. I do really like the shou pu’erh that Adagio uses in their blends. It’s very, very thick and earthy tasting in a way that obviously compliments the darker roasted flavour of coffee very well. And this is a really roasty tasting tea. I think maybe a little more overtly roasty than DT’s Coffee Pu’erh. The vanilla comes through a little bit in the finish, and I like that it gently softens out the end of the sip without diminishing the overall bold, intense feeling of the cup. I do think there’s room for it to be stronger, though.

The key difference is really that DT’s coffee pu’erh also has almond flavouring in it, and I personally prefer that inclusion. I think it’s richer feeling and creates a lot more depth and layering of flavours, and really leans into the aroma/nose of the brew as well. However, y’all know I’m a fan of things with a heavy roast note so I also appreciate that this blend was a little bolder in that aspect. It’s a solid blend overall.

Cold Brew!

Had this one a few days ago and was disappointed to not really be able to taste the cranberry at all. It actually eerily reminded me of DT’s Santa’s Secret with a very similar mix of smooth medium bodied black tea, creamy fondant-like vanilla, and lightly cooling mint. It was refreshing, just not quite what I’d been looking to drink.

So yesterday I had dental surgery – a root tip extraction from the tooth I broke earlier in the year and a bone graft. Lots I can’t do in the next 48-72 hours including spitting, swishing, rinsing, drinking from a straw, consuming ANY type of alcohol/spicy food, etc…

Honestly I was mostly just really, really tired afterwards so I went and got my prescription (a fancy kind of mouthwash I need to use for the next month) filled and bought a bunch of smoothies/drinks that I can have for something quick and easy and dentist approved for the next few days. This was among the mix, and the first thing I drank when I got home. Probably my favourite Mateina flavour – it’s bright and zesty from the yuzu but also has a thick and jammy raspberry note that’s so saturated and flavourful. Really refreshing!

That gave me the energy to make it a few hours after getting home, but I fairly quickly crashed out and ended up just sleeping for a bulk of the day.

A new release as part of DT’s Spring Wellness collection!

In some ways, this tea is a very literal reflection of its name. At its most simplified, it’s an Earl Grey with Yerba Mate. However, there’s just a bit more to it than that. I really like the idea of “functionally boosted” versions of more classic cupboard staple teas like chai, chamomile, and in this case Earl Grey. Those tend to be the types of teas people build routines around and drink habitually so they’re just natural marriages when you’re trying to address recurring wellness needs like sleep, energy, digestion, etc…

DT technically already has a couple functional Earl Grey variants: Earl Grey Rooibos is caffeine free and so could be viewed as an EG option for evenings to help with sleep, and Lavender Earl Grey has both lavender and ashwagandha root which can aid in relaxation/stress management. In this case, I wanted to build an EG blend that is more focused around, well, focus. Specifically mental clarity/brain fog.

So aside from the bold bergamot and brisk, malty black tea base we added yerba mate and ginseng root to this tea. Yerba Mate is naturally stimulating and has a long history of being consumed for mental clarity and focus – it’s great for “brain fog” and has been getting a lot of attention lately in the RTD space as a clean source of natural energy/stimulation. It’s something that I personally drink a lot of in the mornings because I do find it helpful in keeping me alert and on task while at work. I know a lot of people who also drink yerba mate when they’re studying, as well.

Ginseng root (in this case panax ginseng) is an adaptogen that has been used similarly as an aid in focus and cognition – one of the reasons you’ll see it so much in energy drinks like Rockstar/Monster or even newer, more healthy/clean energy brands. I really, really love the combo of ginseng and mate. It’s a bit like a benefit buddy system.

The other thing about this blend that differentiates it from a standard Earl Grey is the addition of lemon. We thought the added citrusy brightness was very fresh feeling and I think there’s a lot of subconscious association with lemon (and citrus in general) as energizing/stimulating flavours. However, more than anything else, we thought it just really complimented the sweeter and more earthy notes of the ginseng. So, it acts a bit as a bridge flavour keeping all of our key ingredients a little more balanced!

I’m not personally a big Earl Grey drinker, but as I’ve already mentioned I do drink a fair amount of yerba mate in the mornings and this tea has definitely found its way into my yerba mate blend rotation. I certainly reach for it more than other EG in my stash, that’s for sure. So far I like it best hot and plain, but I’ve had it with honey too and I thought that complimented really nicely. No surprise, though – honey, lemon, and ginseng are a pretty iconic/popular flavour trio. It’s also still pretty solid iced and though I’ve yet to try it as a tea pop I can see that working well, too!

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s

Gongfu Sipdown (2732)!

The liquor is thick and oily with bright, juicy top notes of black cherry that get richer over the session, with earthy, darkly sweet undertones of molasses, roasted dandelion root, and bittersweet dark cocoa and a brothy, unctuous finish that lingers on the palate until it’s washed away by an eager next sip. It’s a little bittersweet finishing it off as I’ve enjoyed this shou pu’erh quite a bit, but putting in the work to finish off the last little bit of tea samples I’ve been holding onto was something I wanted to focus on this month. And it was a delicious send-off.

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DElC4zayTU7/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72ZW1QSorVU&ab_channel=flipturnmusicVEVO

Grandpa Style!

I’m still slowly sampling my way through my most recent W2T order, with this 2024 Stagecoach ripe pu’erh mini up next on the list. I’ve brewed it up grandpa-style so that I can more casually sip away at it while reading the first volume of Dandadan. The tea is very thick, with heavy notes of wet forest undergrowth that make up the bulk of the sip alongside a fudgey chocolate note and a hint of sweet yet umami walnut with a lick of camphor on the backend. There’s just a bit of funk to the cup still, but certainly not enough to derail the otherwise very soothing, darkly sweet and earthy flavour composition. It’s got really good bones, so I’m quite excited to see how this one settles and further ages!

I really, really enjoyed the first season of Dandadan’s anime (both the dub and sub) and, since it’s going to be a while until season two, I thought I’d dive into the manga. It’s proven challenging to find the manga here in Quebec as the English volumes have been selling out so quickly, but I finally lucked out and snagged the first volume. So good! Gonna have to keep my eyes sharply peeled for restocks of the next couple volumes…

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEnp6x8ye1z/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly7nFV6z-6Y&ab_channel=CallMeKarizma

Gongfu!

I needed a bold start to the day, so I’ve brewed up a session of this smoky bad boy. I got this Japanese black tea along with several other teas smoked with different woods such as yuzu tree or cherry blossom tea. Personally, I find this to be the most aggressively smoked as well as the least nuanced. That’s not a negative for me as I still very much appreciate a brash, assertive smoke note and this one with its deep garnet liquor and full body delivers in spades. It’s brothy and unctuous too, with very savory undertones that remind me a lot of barbecue. Certainly not a coincidence given how popular Applewood Smoked meats, cheeses, and other snack foods like potato chips have become in the last handful of years!

Note that this session was from BEFORE dental surgery. There will be no smoky or spiced teas for me for about a week, now…

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEp_YfiSHG_/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR4hOcDsaOc&ab_channel=introvertspartytoo-Topic

Gongfu!

I had dental surgery yesterday morning, so no gongfu for me for the next few days probably, but here’s a ripe pu’erh session from earlier in the week. It’s quite thick with an almost black liquor, though the taste is a bit sweeter and creamier than you’d maybe expect. There’s an element of chocolate to it, but mostly, it’s very oat-y tasting in a way that makes me think of oat milk or oat creamer. Just a little bit of a salty kind of undertone, but it’s wrapped up in a dark fruity sweetness that’s like fig cookies with a salted caramel drizzle. Not overly complex, but very good!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEss1ymy56Y/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT80b9n153g&ab_channel=slimdan

(According to Spotify Wrapped this was my most listened to artist of 2024, and this was one of my top songs from him. So good.)

Sipdown! (22)

I’ve really been enjoying hojicha lately, it’s perfect for the cold weather we’re having.

Despite being a dark roast, this still has a somewhat mellow flavor, not overpowering in its roastiness at all. The toasty flavor is deep but smooth, with a gentle charcoal note, crisp autumn leaves, soft wood, and a subtle smokiness.

Great! I was looking for a more “green” oolong and this is perfect. I like green teas, but some of the more vegetal ones are too much for me. Likewise, I like oolongs but if they’re overly oxidized/roasted they can be overly mineral-y. This is a great middle ground. The first few steeps definitely lean more green in character, while the last several cut the bitterness with a sweet, almost jasmine or floral-like flavor.

Happy 2025! I’ve been enjoying this ounce of tea from Daylon on special occasions, such as finally regaining my sense of smell after spending a week with a cold. I will need to see how much Whispering Pines charges to ship to Canada, as this tea is as lovely as all the notes on Steepster suggest. I steeped 6 g of leaf in 120 ml of 195F water for 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, 120, and 240 seconds, plus some long, uncounted steeps.

Wow, this tea is fruity and sweet! The dry aroma is of blackberry, strawberry, caramel, and malt. The first steep has notes of blackberry, strawberry, muscatel, honey, caramel, bread, and malt. I get a lot more muscatel and caramel in steep two, as well as some velvety tannins. There’s a fuzzy, fruity, sweet, lingering aftertaste. I continue to get stewed berries and muscatel in steeps three through six, along with lots of caramel sweetness. By steep seven, bread, malt, and wood become more apparent, though there’s still plenty of berries and muscatel. The final steeps have notes of raisin, muscatel, faint berries, honey, bread, wood, malt, and tannins. (Yes, even the last few steeps of this tea are special.)

This tea is a crowd pleaser for a reason! It’s probably too sweet to be a daily drinker for me, but it’s a wonderfully decadent treat. Those jammy berry notes make me smile.

additional notes: Sadly, the new batch I just bought of this is very different from the batch I loved years ago. (Seriously, at least a decade ago.) I had to look at my old tasting notes. I said previously that two teaspoons steeped would be too much, too astringent and strong. Here, I used 1 1/2 teaspoons and the base black tea is now incredibly thin and weak. That is very sad, as it needs that strong base to match the chocolate/cinnamon. It’s just very very different now. :/

I bought a set of 12 Days of Christmas teas, kind of like an advent calendar thing, but completely neglected to open it until, well, today. Better late than never. The holidays and work completely took up the majority of my time and attention.

Starting off on a fairly average note here – this tea was…fine, good even, but largely unremarkable. There are notes of slightly bitter, almost matcha-like flavors, but the overall taste is nice. I expected something a little stronger. I wouldn’t buy this particular tea again, but I’m optimistic that there will be some better brews coming up in the box.

This tea is basically a chai with an oolong base, which I don’t think I’ve personally seen before (and feel should be done more often!) The base oolong is a darker variety with lots of roasted, earthy, and nutty notes, which I think is really complimentary with the spices. The spices are gently warming, with the cinnamon coming out a bit more on the front of the sip with the ginger and clove lingering pleasantly afterwards. The tea says it includes “pumpkin spice flavoring” rather than “pumpkin pie” flavoring, so there are no notes of pumpkin or vanilla. I think the closest tea I’ve had to this one is a houjicha chai, though this doesn’t have the woodiness the houjicha chai had. It’s a very enjoyable cold weather tea! I’m not sure if it would hold up to a latte the way a traditional black tea-based chai would (I haven’t tried it yet!) but it makes a perfectly fine plain cuppa with cozy roasty notes and warming spices for a winter day.

— Color of liquor: Copper, with hint of red

— Aroma: Muscatel, floral

— Flavors: Stone fruit, muscatel

Strong stone fruit flavors in front, with a slight muscatel base. Slight astringency. A typical 2nd flush Darjeeling – I’ll enjoy it while I have it but likely won’t buy more.

The second half of 2024 and moving into 2025 has been tough. I lost my sense of self, my sense of humor, hobbies, interest in tea. Everything has been off-center but my boyfriend helped me from shifting too far into the gnarled grip of depression.

It took me six months to finally sign up for the 6-week course at the lumber yard-converted-to-studio-space, but on Wednesday, I had my first introduction to pottery outside of making one lonely and lumpy pinch pot tea cup in an Environmental Lit class in high school (I didn’t realize until years later how much that class effected the trajectory of my life). Starting off with another lonely and lumpy pinch pot, I felt the slow release of all the stress and struggle that was trapped in my body. I felt true calm and freedom for the first time in months. I can’t wait to go back next Wednesday.

This tea, like the process of molding clay with the hands, aids in shifting the self into a centered state. So grateful to be able to experience its unwavering character with each bowl.

Sipdown

This is one of the many teas given to me in December by my daughter in my advents. I am surprised to see that I haven’t reviewed it yet and here we are at the Sipdown.

This is exactly as advertised. Cinnamon first, chocolate second. The black tea base and the color of the steeped tea and medium light and let the flavors show off. Since brownies and chocolate are hard for me to separate, I will say that I don’t know if I taste brownie or if I am tasting chocolate that clearly isn’t intended to imitate a bar of chocolate, so either way I would have to say it is spot on to its name.

There’s something in here that I don’t love. It doesn’t taste quite like celery, but celery adjacent. I also taste some light fruitiness. Plain, this was really too boring. With milk, this was pretty drinkable. I could taste a bit of fruit, but it was mild.

This tea is actually really solid when enjoyed with a very short steep.

First steep – 125 mL boiling water, 20 second steep
Second steep – 125 mL hot water, 45 second steep

Both steeps were actually really tasty on such a cold January morning. The sour and tart notes are minimized by the short steep. The sweetness of the cinnamon was nice with the chamomile flavour.

Sipdown

“2021 Gushu Baicha”

I cannot remember for the life of me where or when I required this sample. It may have been from one of my farmer sources on IG or from a swap. I failed to make a note who sent the tea. My notes on the slip of paper attached read, “Unsweetened grapes, pencil shavings, malt, & wood chips. 55/100.”

Sipdown

It’s great to sip a green tea that’s moderately fresh (at least not sitting for 2-3 years in the stash) in the winter! Sweet Dew was refreshing, grassy, and crisp while the weather outside was biting, cold, and bitter.

Backlog

“A bitter cup of smoke and charcoal.” – January 3, 2025